Olympia review this week

King County commercial landlords seek property tax relief  

King County commercial landlords may see property tax relief as many have experienced dropping values due to closed tenant businesses. Empty hotels and closed gyms, restaurants, and other retailers cannot pay rent. The problem exists across the nation.

According to MyNorthwest, “nearly 60% of commercial rents across the country did not pay their rent in May.” Landlords must still pay property taxes and mortgage payments, but do not have rent revenue to pay. King County Assessor John Wilson asked the state Legislature to grant commercial owners relief by changing current law.

It is doubtful any property tax relief is coming.  The legislature sucks up an excise tax even on leases.

Future of new sex ed law may rest in the hands of voters

A highly controversial bill that would mandate sex ed starting in kindergarten may have to be approved by the people if Referendum 90 collects enough signatures.  The bill was sponsored by Sen. Claire Wilson of Federal Way and rammed through the legislature by Democrat majorities.

By the time Gov. Inslee signed it, his office had received 9,850 messages opposed to the measure and 59 in support. If you still have signatures to turn in, Pony Express stations all over the state for petition drop-offs in the next couple days can be found here.

Estimates of money lost in unemployment fraud: $550 - $650 million

The exact amount lost by Washington State officials to the Nigerian unemployment fraud remains unknown. However, the Employment Security Department (ESD) estimates the money lost is between $550 and $650 million.

The amount recovered with the help of the federal government remains about $333 million. As the Washington Policy Center’s Mark Harmsworth points out, the COVID-19 crisis “did not create the problems in the Unemployment Security Department systems, it just made them worse.” Incompetence and mismanagement plague the department, reform is needed.

UW infectious disease experts issue contrary statement on protests

After months of calling for strict quarantine measures and social distancing measures, infectious disease experts at the University of Washington released a statement supporting the mass protests. They wrote that, despite the pandemic, the protests are “vital to the national public health and to the threatened health specifically of Black people in the United States.”

Meanwhile, counties across the state have faced a restrictive reopening process – impacting the livelihoods of businesses and the mental health of individuals across the state for months.

14 additional counties approved to advance reopening efforts

King County will move on to a “modified Phase 1” approach, allowing businesses to reopen with limited capacity. Non-essential stores can reopen at 15% capacity, while salons and barbers can open at 25% capacity. Outside gatherings with five or fewer people outside of your household are allowed – that restrictions, apparently, does not apply to protesters. Counties approved for Phase 2 include Clark, Okanogan, Pierce, Skagit, Snohomish, and Whatcom.